Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणस्त्वं सुता देवी तुलानाम्नेति कथ्यते । तुकारो गौरवे नित्यं लकारो लघुनि स्मृतः

Transliteration

brahmaṇastvaṃ sutā devī tulānāmneti kathyate | tukāro gaurave nityaṃ lakāro laghuni smṛtaḥ

Translation

‘ఓ దేవీ, నీవు బ్రహ్ముని కుమార్తెవు; నిన్ను “తులా” అనే నామంతో పిలుస్తారు. “తు” అక్షరం నిత్యం గురుత్వం (భారం) సూచిస్తుంది; “లా” అక్షరం లఘుత్వంగా స్మరించబడుతుంది.’

Word by Word

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• sutā: daughter
• sutā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• devī: goddess
• devī: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); संबोधनार्थे अपि (appositive)

• tulānāmnā: by the name 'Tulā'
• tulānāmnā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tulā (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular); नाम्ना-तत्पुरुषः (नाम्ना = 'by the name')

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• kathyate: is called/said
• kathyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• tukāraḥ: the syllable 'tu'
• tukāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tukāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• gaurave: in heaviness/weight
• gaurave: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-नपुंसक एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• lakāraḥ: the syllable 'la'
• lakāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• laghuni: in lightness
• laghuni: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laghu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• smṛtaḥ: is regarded (as)
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛta (कृदन्त; √smṛ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि/विधेय-प्रयोगः (as predicate: 'is considered')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced; mantra portion quoted)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tulā-devī (personified balance)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary overlay: above the physical balance appears Tulā-devī—radiant, holding a balance, emerging from Brahmā’s creative aura; the syllables ‘tu’ and ‘lā’ appear as luminous script signifying heavy and light.

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Tulā (personified balance goddess)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Justice is sacralized by invoking divine order; the balance is revered as a goddess embodying weight and lightness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse is part of a mantra-invocation within a dharma rite.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invocation/identification of Tulā as a देवी and recitation of a mantra explaining heaviness and lightness.